


No Thanks Required

by TheHedgehogSong



Series: Soul Mate AU [2]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Bipolar Disorder, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, bad language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 14:31:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3123602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHedgehogSong/pseuds/TheHedgehogSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ian was young he heard about soul mate marks, how a name would appear on your skin one day and it would tell you the person who you would spend the rest of your life with. Ian had been so excited about the thought of getting one, but Fiona had explained patiently that not everyone got one. That he shouldn't pin all his hopes on getting one, and even if he does it doesn't mean anything.</p>
<p>OR<br/>The sequel to Engraved in my Skin</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Thanks Required

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for a bad language, really badly written smut and also description of bipolar disorder (which I know nothing about and I apologise if it's highly inaccurate).

When Ian was young he heard about soul mate marks, how a name would appear on your skin one day and it would tell you the person who you would spend the rest of your life with. Ian had been so excited about the thought of getting one, but Fiona had explained patiently that not everyone got one. That he shouldn't pin all his hopes on getting one, and even if he does it doesn't mean anything.

Fiona didn't particularly like soul mate marks, she had one herself which she never showed the family, kept it hidden. Monica and Frank had each others names written on their chests and the Gallagher kids had seen how that had worked out, seen the carnage that they left behind.

So when Ian grew up a bit and woke up with a throbbing ankle, fresh name written on his skin he didn't quite know how to feel. He felt hopeful, that he wouldn't mess it up as bad as Monica and Frank had, knew their mistakes and would learn from them.

The soul mate mark had also made it easier for him to come out to the family. Fiona had given him a sad kind of smile, rubbing her bicep where her mark was. Lip had punched him in the shoulder with a big grin - had later cornered Ian and told him in no uncertain terms that he would never turn out like Frank and Monica. Debbie had been jealous, stating that the more Gallagher's had the mark the less chance she would have one. Carl was unaffected and Liam had smiled and babbled at Ian as if he understood somehow.

There were online site where you could post your mark and 'find your soul mate' but they were often full of people looking to get laid, or who didn't have a soul mate and were trying to pretend they did. Years went by and Ian never even met anyone called Mickey, a couple Michaels, even a Mick, but never a Mickey.

One day he woke up and couldn't get out of bed. Didn't have the energy to move, couldn't bring himself to do anything but cry. His siblings knew - had dealt with it with Monica, he was bipolar. They got him hospitalised and they got him better - only it wasn't really something you got better from really, it was always there. It meant he couldn't join the army.

If he was having a bad day, where the grey clouds hung around and made him tired he would go to his family, he would go for a run, or help the kids with their homework. Help Lip with his latest illegal scheme, try not to fall into bed and never get out. But on the flip side he had to remember to take his pills no matter how good he felt, had to resist the urge to give in and quit his job to travel around America, or become the next big business man, or miss work to clean his entire apartment top to bottom.

He got a job at a bar and met Mandy. Mandy was great, she was funny, didn't take shit from anyone and was from the South Side. She invited him around to hers after work one night and he had met Mickey. Mickey with the bluest eyes Ian had ever seen. Mickey who had looked like a startled rabbit and fled just as fast. Mickey who kissed Ian like he was dying. Mickey who rejected him and told him to leave.

Ian didn’t really know how he managed to get to his apartment. It felt like he had a clamp tighten in his chest around his heart with every step he took. On some level he was aware that he was crying but it didn't particularly register. He got into his apartment and went to bed, without changing or switching any lights on.

He didn’t know how long he lay there, in the dark, staring at the wall. He was startled by a gentle hand shaking his arm. "Hey Ian." Ian opened his eyes and Lip was crouched by the side of the bed. "You need to take you meds okay?" Lip then raised his hand to show a pill in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

Ian didn't say anything and didn't move to take the pill either, what was the point.

"Don't make me force it down your throat okay?" Lip said in a far sharper voice. Ian sat up a little and accepted the pill, taking a sip of the water and swallowing. He gave the glass back and turned his back to his brother. "Ian." Lip sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong? What happened?" Ian let out a violent sob that hurt his chest. "Shit Ian man, you've got to tell me what happened."

"I'm just like her." Ian managed to croak out, his throat hurt, his head hurt and his body felt like a dead weight.

"Just like who?"

"Monica."

"Fuck Ian, no you're not okay. You're a million times better than her okay. Yeah you've got bipolar but you take your meds, you help the family all the time. Ian you will _never_ be like Monica."

Ian let out another sob and buried himself further into the sheets – wanting to disappear.

"Look Ian, tell me what happened. Let me help you."

"He rejected me Lip."

"Who Ian? Who rejected you?"

"MY SOULMATE!" He burst flinging himself upwards towards Lip, making Lip wobble on the edge of the bed. "HE REJECTED ME." He shouted in Lip's face before he flopped down on the bed, covering his face with his hands and taking a shuddering breath. "Told me to leave." He whispered.

"Shit." Lip murmured under his breath and he grabbed Ian's wrist, not pulling it away from his face – just a point of contact. They sat in silence for a while, Lip holding onto Ian's wrist and Ian trying desperately to stop crying. "What happened?" Lip asked when the sobbing subsided slightly.

"I went to Mandy's." Ian explained in a voice barely above a whisper. "Mickey was there, we kissed and he kicked me out." A tear rolled down his cheek and shit you would think that eventually you would run out. 

"Are you sure it was Mickey? I mean _your_ Mickey."

"Yes, it was him. I didn't see the mark but it was him." Ian didn't need to see the mark, he knew - just by looking he knew.

Lip rubbed his thumb across Ian's wrist a few times before he stood up from the bed. "Just gonna phone Fi and let her know you're okay." Ian pulled the blanket over his head and tried to go back to sleep.

Then Mickey came. "Someone would have to be a complete idiot to not to want you as a soul mate." Mickey had uttered.

Mickey crawled up the bed and lay next to Ian, face to face. They lay like that for a little bit - both unsure of what to say. Mickey's hand came up and stroked his face gently.

"You want anything?" Mickey asked softly.

"You." Ian whispered back and Mickey huffed out a laugh.

"Well you got that. Anything else? Like food. I could go get you something?" Ian didn't want Mickey to leave.

"Don't want you to leave." Ian said. Mickey swallowed and gave Ian this look Ian couldn't quite decipher - somewhere between reverent and shit scared.

"I ain't going anywhere okay?" Mickey said, moving his hand to grip the back of his neck. "Might need to go for a piss at some point though."

Ian let out a breath of a laugh - the first smile he's let out for a few days. Ian moved forward and leant his forehead against Mickey's. "Food might be okay." Ian said.

"He needs to take his meds first." Lip said from the doorway, startling them both - making Mickey bolt upright. Ian nodded his head and Lip came forward with his pill and a glass of water. "I'll make some food, you guys can stay here." Lip said after passing Ian his pill.

When Lip left Ian tugged Mickey down from where he was still sat upright to resume their early position, leaning his forehead against Mickey's and closing his eyes.

"Promise you're not doing this because I'm sick." Ian breathed out, feeling the clench of insecurity.

"Fuck you. I ain't here because I pity you." Mickey spat out, putting a hand on Ian's waist and pulling him in slightly.

"Thanks" Ian whispered.

"No thanks required."

XXX

"I told you no fucking in the communal areas!" Mandy shouted as she walked through the front door.

"Keep your fucking panties on, we ain't fucking!" Mickey shouted back from where he was perched straddling Ian on the couch, they had been making out quite heavily before Mandy came in ."Yet." Mickey added when he looked down at Ian, hair a mess and eye blown wide.

"Sorry Mandy." Ian chirped, looking at Mickey still with that insufferable smirk that did things to Mickey.

"Take it to your bedroom." Mandy grumbled, dumping her stuff by the door.

Mickey shuffled off Ian and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him up off the couch and in the direction of his bedroom.

When he got to his bedroom Ian pinned him up against the door and crashed his lips back onto Mickey’s. Ian's hand travelled down and grabbed Mickey's ass, hauling him up slightly so Mickey had to stand on his toes.

Mickey let out a groan and his head fell back hitting the door with a thunk. "Shit Gallagher." He moaned and Ian let out a chuckle against Mickey's neck where he was currently sucking a bruise.

They had been together for a month now and Mickey thought it had to be a soul mate thing. He knew what he liked - he liked to get fucked, but it had never felt this good. He'd never lost his mind like he did with Ian, never felt so completely out of control like he did with Ian.

Mickey parted his legs to let Ian step between them and Ian tightened his hold on Mickey hauling him up, pinning him up against the door. Mickey let out an embarrassingly loud moan and wrapped his legs around Ian - Mickey knew he couldn't have been that light but Ian made it seem effortless. Mickey wondered if Ian could hold him like this while they were fucking or if his arms would get tired.

Ian ground his hips into Mickey and realigned their lip together to kiss him. Ian fucked his tongue into Mickey's mouth and Mickey needed Ian to get on him, right the fuck now. Mickey tore his mouth away, "Hurry up and fuck me." He growled and Ian gave him that smug look he always fucking has on his face when Mickey tells him to get on with it - like that was what Ian was waiting for all along. Mickey would find it more annoying if it wasn't so dam sexy. 

Ian carried him over to the bed and dumped him there. Mickey scrambled up and started tearing off his clothes while Ian did the same. Once Mickey was naked he turned around so he was on his hands and knees. "Come on slowpoke, get on me." Mickey ground out, too horny to care.

Ian huffed and pulled the lube out from the draw before climbing on the bed behind Mickey. He held Mickey's hips and planted a kiss at the top of his spine followed by a soft scrap of his teeth.

"Get. In. Me." Mickey said through gritted teeth and Mickey felt more than heard Ian laugh before two fingers were pushed into him. "I'm fine." Mickey panted. "Good from this morning. Come on fire crotch." The fingers were then pulled out and replaced with the blunt head of Ian's cock. "Yes." Mickey hissed as Ian pushed in.

Ian murmured something that sounds like "Pushy." Against the back of Mickey's neck but Mickey couldn’t care less, Ian had to have a magic dick or something. It shouldn't feel this good every time. They both let out groans when Ian bottomed out, Mickey dropping his head to rest on his arms and biting his lip.

Ian put one hand on Mickey's hip and the other on his shoulder and started to move – it was like electricity all over Mickey's body, sparking out into every nerve. Even biting his lip and face buried in the comforter his couldn’t really hold in the noise. Ian's hand moved from his shoulder to his hair, running his fingers through it before he grasped a handful and tugged it back. "FUCK!" Mickey shouted a hard surge of arousal running from his hair straight to his dick.

"Come on Mickey, let me hear you." Ian said, pulling Mickey up by his hair so that Mickey's back was pressed against his chest. Then Ian was panting hotly in his ear, arm reaching around to start jacking Mickey off in time with his thrusts.

Mickey reached forward, bending slightly to hold on the headboard with one hand and the other went around and grasped at Ian's hip - digging his fingers in brutally.  A few well aimed thrusts later Mickey came hard all over Ian's hand and their pillows with a loud moan he was pretty sure the neighbourhood heard.

"Fuck!" Ian shouted, thrusts going a bit wild before he clamped his teeth into Mickey's shoulder and came. They stay like they are for a couple seconds before Ian nudged them over so they're lying horizontally on the bed - legs dangling off.

After several of moments of them panting looking at the ceiling - Ian rolled over and planted a small kiss on Mickey's shoulder, draping his arm over Mickey's middle. Mickey was incredibly proud of himself that he didn’t bat Ian away.

"I was thinking I could get a tattoo." Mickey blurted out before he could think any better.

"What?" Ian mumbled, tightening the arm around Mickey's waist and pulling him closer.

"You know, to replace..." Mickey trailed off and gestured towards their ankles, raising his foot to further his point. Ian propped himself up on arms over Mickey looking down at him with a weird expression on his face. "I don't have to." Mickey grouched, feeling stupid.

Ian dove down and kissed him, hard. "No, no, I mean. I'd...that's, that would mean a lot to me if you did." Ian said against Mickey's lips with one of his goofy grins.

"Well that's settled then." Mickey said trying not to grin like a fucking idiot back, he pulled Ian down again so that Ian could cuddle into his side.

"Thanks." Ian said into Mickey's neck, planting a kiss after.

"No thanks required."


End file.
